Question
My seven-month-old baby’s anus is red, swollen, and has developed skin breaks with bleeding. What measures should I take? The baby has only had a bowel movement once in the past two to three days, and the stool is not much in quantity, with a yellow-green color. The baby’s diet mainly consists of rice porridge, soft bread, and custard. I have also had diarrhea recently, and the baby is still being breastfed. What measures have I taken so far and what was the effect? What medication should I buy to apply to the baby’s anus, and what precautions should I be aware of?
Answer
The redness and swelling of the baby’s anus, along with bleeding, may be due to dry stools. The mother’s diarrhea may have transmitted symptoms of heat through breastfeeding to the baby. It is recommended that the mother eat a light diet and avoid greasy foods. At seven months old, the baby can try introducing some vegetable puree and minced meat, but not in excess. You can apply Erythromycin eye ointment to the skin around the anus.